ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief history of the use of public information by government. It differentiates public affairs from public relations. The chapter covers a short history from the Civil War to the present. In 1913, as a result of a controversy over administration of forest rights, the Gillett Amendment was attached to the Deficiency Appropriation Act, stating, “Appropriated funds may not be used to pay a publicity expert unless specifically appropriated for that purpose.” Blue skies versus grey skies are figures of speech used by emergency responders to describe conditions for preparation and response to disasters. Under blue skies, response agencies prepare for those days when grey skies bring disasters. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005, government was unprepared from the local level to the federal level.
